DEAS 847-5: 2015

ICS 71.100.70

DRAFT EAST AFRICAN STANDARD

Oils for cosmetic industry — Methods of test

Part 5: Determination of unsaponifiable matter

EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY

© EAS 2015 First Edition 2015

 DEAS 847- 5: 2015
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DEAS 847- 5: 2015
Foreword

Development of the East African Standards has been necessitated by the need for harmonizing
requirements governing quality of products and services in the East African Community. It is envisaged that
through harmonized standardization, trade barriers that are encountered when goods and services are
exchanged within the Community will be removed.

In order to achieve this objective, the Community established an East African Standards Committee
mandated to develop and issue East African Standards.

The Committee is composed of representatives of the National Standards Bodies in Partner States, together
with the representatives from the private sectors and consumer organizations. Draft East African Standards
are circulated to stakeholders through the National Standards Bodies in the Partner States. The comments
received are discussed and incorporated before finalization of standards, in accordance with the procedures
of the Community.

East African Standards are subject to review, to keep pace with technological advances. Users of the East
African Standards are therefore expected to ensure that they always have the latest versions of the
standards they are implementing.

DEAS 847-5 was prepared by Technical Committee EAS/TC 071, Cosmetics and cosmetic products.
 DEAS 847- 5: 2015

Oils for cosmetic industry — Methods of test

Part 5: Determination of unsaponifiable matter

1. Scope

This Standard gives the test method for the determination of unsaponifiable matter in oils for cosmetic
industry

2. Principle

The material is completely saponified with alcoholic potassium hydroxide solution and extracted with
petroleum ether. The petroleum ether extract is washed with aqueous alcohol and then again with water.
The washed ether extract is evaporated and the residue weighed. Unsaponifiable matter is this residue
minus the fatty acid present in it, which is determined by titration with sodium hydroxide solution in alcoholic
medium.

3. Apparatus

3.1 Flat-bottomed or Conical Flask - 250 to 300 ml capacity. An ordinary round, flat-bottomed flask fitted
with a long glass tube which acts as a condenser, may also be used.

3.2 Separating Funnels - 500 ml capacity.

4. Reagents

4.1 Alcoholic Potassium Hydroxide Solution - Dissolve 70 to 80 g of potassium hydroxide in an equal

quantity of distilled water, and add aldehyde-free ethyl alcohol (95 percent by volume) or aldehyde-free
rectified spirit to make up to 1000 ml. Allow to stand overnight, decant the clear liquid and keep in a
bottle closed tightly with a cork or rubber stopper.

4.2 Ethyl Alcohol - aldehyde-free ethyl alcohol (95 percent by volume) or Absolute ethanol or rectified
spirit.

4.3 Phenolphthalein Indicator Solution - Dissolve one gram of phenolphthalein in 100 ml of ethyl alcohol.

4.4 Petroleum Ether - Analytical Grade 40-60ºC

4.5 Aqueous Alcohol - containing 10 percent (by volume) of ethyl alcohol.

4.6 Standard Sodium Hydroxide Solution - approximately 0.02N.

4.7 Acetone - Free from evaporation residue.

5. Procedure

Weigh accurately about 5 g of the well-mixed sample into the flask. Add 50 ml of alcoholic potassium
hydroxide solution (see 4.1). Boil gently but steadily under a reflux condenser for one hour or until the
saponification is complete. Wash the condenser with about 10 ml of ethyl alcohol, cool the mixture and
transfer it to a separating funnel. Complete the transfer by washing the flask first with some ethyl alcohol and
then wash with cold water. Altogether, add 50 ml of water to the separating funnel followed by an addition of
50 ml of petroleum ether.
DEAS 847- 5: 2015

5.2 Insert the stopper and shake vigorously for at least one minute, releasing the pressure at intervals,
and allow to settle until both the layers are clear. Transfer the lower layer containing the soap solution
to another separating funnel, and repeat the ether extraction at least six times more using 50 ml of
petroleum ether for each extraction. If any emulsion is formed, add a small quantity of ethyl alcohol or
alcoholic potassium hydroxide solution.

5.3 Collect all the ether extracts in a separating funnel. Wash the combined extracts in the funnel three
times with 25 ml portions of aqueous alcohol shaking vigorously and drawing off the alcohol-water
layer after each washing. Again wash the ether layer successively with 20 ml portions of water until
the wash-water no longer turns pink on addition of a few drops of phenolphthalein indicator solution.
Do not remove any of the ether layers. Transfer the ether layer to a tared flask containing a few
pieces of pumice stone, and evaporate to dryness on a water-bath r. To remove the last traces of
o
ether and water, place the flask in an air-oven at 105 C for about one hour.

5.4 Cool in a desiccator and weigh. Repeat the evaporation, cooling and weighing until a constant weight
is obtained.

5.5 After weighing, take up the residue in 50 ml of warm neutral ethyl alcohol, containing a few drops of
phenolphthalein indicator solution and titrate with standard sodium hydroxide solution.

6. Calculation

6.1 Weight (B) in g of the fatty acids in the extract (as oleic acid)

B = 0.282 VN

where,

V = volume in ml of standard sodium hydroxide solution, and

N = normality of standard sodium hydroxide solution

6.2 Unsaponifiable matter, per cent by mass

= 100 (A – B)
m

where,

A = mass in g of the residue (see 5.3)

B = mass in g of the fatty acids in the extract (see 6.1) and
m = mass in g of the material taken for the test

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